In communication networks, such as telecommunication networks, a call or a service often involves, on the one hand, a control plane or signalling plane and, on the other hand, a user plane. The control plane or signalling plane is in charge of establishing and managing a connection between two points on the network. The user plane or media plane is in charge of transporting the user data.
In this context, network operators often want to define and enforce a set of rules in the network. A set of rules constitutes policies. A policy framework for managing and enforcing these policies usually includes at least three elements, or functions: a policy repository for storing the policy rules which may be user-specific, a policy decision element, function or point, and a policy enforcement element, function or point. The purposes of a policy framework include controlling subscriber access to the networks and services.
A policy framework notably addresses the decisions as to whether the subscriber is entitled, or authorized, to enjoy a service, and whether the network can provide the service to the subscriber.
Policy and charging control architectures, such as, but not limited to, the architecture described in 3GPP TS 23.203 v8.1.1 (2008-03), Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects, Policy and charging control architecture (Release 8) (available on http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/2008-03/Rel-8/23_series/), integrate the policy and charging control.
It is desirable to provide methods, servers and computer programs to improve policy and charging control architectures and implementations, notably by allowing more flexibility without increasing the implementation and architecture complexity.